Vapor cabinet



Aug. 12, 1958 E. GRIFFITH VAPOR CABINET Fi1ed Dec. 7, 195s 4., 2 mm 2 i 0 blifl di a United States Patent ice VAPOR CABINET Leona E. Griffith, Spokane, Wash.

Application December 7, 1956, Serial No. 626,998 1 Claim. c1. 28-191 This invention is a cabinet particularly adapted for receiving pressurized inhalants which are beneficial to patients disposed therein and having respiratory difliculties.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a vapor cabinet which may be applied to or removed from a conventional bed without necessitating the use of additional securing means and which may be varied in size to accommodate the bed with which the cabinet is to be used.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a vapor cabinet having a minimum number of parts assembled with facility and therefore one which is very inexpensive and within the purchasing power of the average family.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a vapor cabinet which is portable and collapsible so that it may be easily transported from one place to another and may be easily stored when not in use.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bed with which the vapor cabinet of my invention is associated;

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the supporting frame of the vapor cabinet;

Figure 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary view having portions in section for convenience of illustration and showing the fitting for releasably securing the tubular frame members at the corners;

Figure 4 is a view upon an enlarged scale taken substantially on thelateral plane indicated by line 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 and showing a modified releasable fastening for the tubes of the frame.

In the drawings the reference letter B indicates in its entirety a bed which it will be seen has a head H, a foot F, the usual supporting spring S, and a mattress M. In the wall W of the room in which the bed is located is disclosed a conventional electric outlet 0.

Supported upon the bed B is my improved vapor cabinet indicated in its entirety by the numeral 10. The vapor cabinet is provided with a rigid supporting frame 11 which is here seen to be substantially rectangular. The frame 11 has end bars 12 which space the parallel tubular side bars 13. Each side bar 13 is provided with an outer member 14 into which telescopically united inner members 15 are slidably inserted. It will be noted that each outer member 14 is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 16 which terminates in near spaced relation to the ends of the outer member 14.

A thumb bolt 17 extends through the slot 16 and is threadedly engaged at 18 into each inner member 15 so that manually the members 14 and 15 may be releasably secured in telescopic relationship to each other. The thumb bolt 17 is provided with a snap ring 19 on its inner 2,847,006 Patented Aug. 12, 1958 end to preclude accidental removal of the thumb bolt from threaded engagement with its respective member 15.

The end bars 12 are secured tothe side bars 13 at the corners by means of triradiate fittings 20. Said fittings are provided with bosses or plugs 21 each of which ex.- tends at right angles .to the other two bosses or plugs 21. Each fitting 20 has two of the plugs which extend at right angles to each other and on a common. horizontal plane-,frictionally engaged within the marginal end portions of the end bars 12 and the side bars 13, thus forming a rigid support frame of rectangular configuration.

The frame is supported on depending legs 22 which are likewise secured to the fittings 20. Each leg 22 frictionally receives a downwardly presented plug 21. At their lower ends the legs 22 are provided with protective coverings such as crutch tips 23 which may rest upon the mattress M of the bed B to support the vapor cabinet 10.

In Figure 5 it will be seen that the fitting 20A has bosses 21A each of which includes therein a radially slidable biased pressure foot 24 which is cooperably associated with an aperture 25 formed in the associated ends of the legs 22, the end bars 12 and side bars 13 thus forming a modified means for releasably securing the bars relative to each other and to the legs 22.

A fabric tent 26 is formed of close-woven pervious material and has a top 27, side wall-s 28 and end walls 29. In selected ones of the top, side or end walls I provide observation openings 30 which are covered with cellophane or other transparent materials at 31 so that the patient within the tent may be observed by a nurse outside of the tent. The side walls 28 and end walls 29 are secured to each other contiguously at the vertical corners of the tent as by stitching for a distance from the top 27 to a point equal to the height of the frame legs'22 which point is indicated on Figure l by the numeral 32. However, the side walls and end walls do not terminate at this point but extend on downwardly for a distance substantially 8 to 12 inches thus providing depending flaps 33 some of which are tucked under the mattress M of the bed B and others of which lie upon the surface of the bed clothing. The purpose of these flaps is to seal to some extent, the bottom of the fabric tent 26 with the bed mattress M.

An electrically operated vaporizer 34 is electrically connected by means of the cord 35 with the outlet 0 and a flexible conduit 36 extends from the vaporizer 34 into the tent 26 at a corner thereof as shown in Figure 1. A diffusing nozzle 37 is associated with the end thereof to disperse the vapor V through the tent. Preferably the nozzle is located spaced above the mattress M and is supported in position by means of metal clamps 38 which secure to a selected leg 22.

The inhalant prescribed for the patient for whom the tent is being used for the time being, will be thus introduced into the vapor cabinet under very slight pressure to create the proper atmosphere for the patient.

The tent is made of pervious material so that the exhalation may escape from the tent by reason of the slight pressure created in the tent by means of the vaporizer 34.

Having thus thoroughly described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States the following:

The combination with a bed having a spring and mattress, of a portable vapor cabinet comprising a collapsible rigid tubular support frame including removable legs; protective tips on the lower ends of said legs; said tips resting upon said mattress and supporting said frame upright and spaced above the surface thereof; a fabric tent of closely woven pervious material and having a top and side walls; said side walls being secured contiguously to each other at the corners of said tent by stitching for a distance from the top to a point equal to the height of said frame and unsecured from said point downwardly t0 the bottom edges of said walls and terminating in integral flaps extending the full horizontal lengths of said side walls; certain ones of said flaps being tucked between the mattress and the spring of said bed and others resting thereupon to close and releasably hold said tent with respect to said bed; means for introducing pressurized inhalants into said tent including a tubular conduit; and said conduit entering said cabinet at the juncture of two flaps and a corner formed by their respective walls, whereby no opening through the tent fabric is required.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Roth Nov. 13, 1928 Forrester Aug. 18, 1931 Hettessy Nov. 21, 1939 Dempster Nov. 8, 1955 Molter Sept. 11, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Mar. 20, 1939 Australia May 18, 1939 France Oct. 17, 1939 

